This invention relates to filing systems and more particularly to devices for marking positions where material has been removed from within a file drawer or similar receptacle.
Many different methods are commonly used to mark the position of material removed from a file. One such method is to insert a self-stick note, such as sold under the trademark Post-it by 3M, in the position within the file where material has been removed. However, such notes tend to fall off over time and have somewhat of a sloppy appearance. Another commonly used method is to lift a portion of the file contents, such as a sheet of paper, upwards so that it sticks out of the general file contents and marks the position of the removed material. However, the displaced material generally has a sloppy and disorganized appearance as well as sometimes creating problems with opening and closing the file drawer.
A combined file marker and measuring instrument has been proposed in Martin design U.S. Pat. No. 331,598. The file marker includes two legs attached to the top of a ruler for defining V-shaped grooves which grip the leading edge of a hanging file folder. However, positioning of the file marker is limited to the leading edges of hanging file folders which have a steel rod running therethrough and can support the weight of the file marker. In contrast, individual sheets of paper and the like do not have the strength to support the file markers and it is believed that the file marker would be ineffective for marking positions within the contents of the file folders.
The present invention lies in providing a file marker for overcoming the problems associated with the prior art methods of marking the position of material removed from a file. In particular, the inventive file marker is capable of infinite adjustment throughout file contents and can be positioned at any selected point along the file drawer, regardless of whether it is used to separate entire files or individual sheets of paper. Generally, the file marker includes a body portion and means extending from the body portion for engaging the rail of a suspension file drawer and permitting infinite positioning of the file marker within the contents of the file drawer.
In one embodiment, the means for engaging the file rail comprises a depending leg portion and an intermediate portion extending between and connecting the body portion and leg portion. The leg portion has a leg edge in spaced parallel relation to a body side edge of the body portion, and the parallel edges define a gap therebetween sized to receive the rail of a suspension file drawer. A projection member is provided on an end of the body portion opposite from the leg for engaging the inside of the side panel of the file drawer and maintaining the file marker in a level orientation. The length of the file marker should be such that it engages both the rail and side panel and such length is also advantageous in that it fits within a standard 3 by 5 address/telephone card file in a horizontal orientation. The file marker therefore can serve the dual functions of being used as a file marker within a suspension file drawer and within a standard 3 by 5 address/telephone card file.
Another important aspect of this invention lies in providing a file marker that is capable of being positioned on file rails having varying thicknesses from the extremely thin type of hang rails to the relatively thick type. Typically, file cabinet manufacturers make hang rails of assorted thicknesses and the differences in the thicknesses of the hang rails can vary considerably--particularly within file drawers contained in office furniture or lateral files. Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a file marker that can be used with virtually any manufacturer's cabinet or office furniture by being adapted to accommodate hang rails of assorted thicknesses.
In one embodiment, the file marker includes a relatively flat body portion having at least one generally straight body side edge and a clip body extending from the body side edge. The clip body also includes a clip extending downwardly from the clip body and defining a gap adjacent to or along the body side edge for receiving a file rail. The clip is resiliently deformable to selectively adjust the width of the gap to receive file rails of assorted and varying widths.
The clip forms a gap having an initially narrow width but is resiliently deformable to expand the gap to have an expanded width for receiving file rails of greater thicknesses. When the clip has an expanded width beyond its initial width, the clip is resiliently biased towards the body portion of the file marker so that its snugly receives file rails. In one embodiment, the initial width of the gap was about 1/16 of an inch, and the width of the gap was expandable to about 1/4 of an inch. Preferably, the clip is resiliently deformable to define the gap for receiving file rails having varying widths of between about 1/16 to 1/4 inches.
The clip body includes a head portion, a first leg secured to the body portion, and the second dependent leg portion that forms the clip, which defines the gap adjacent to the first leg of the clip body. The clip itself is preferably formed of a resiliently deformable web portion and a rigid head portion. In use, the clip is forced downward over a file rail such that the rail engages the rigid head and the rigid head in turn exerts a force on the resiliently deformable web portion that permits the clip to swing outward away from the body portion to enlarge the gap. The rigid head includes a rounded corner and the first leg portion includes a ramp for facilitating insertion of thicker file rails into the gap formed by the clip body.
Other advantages, objects, and features of the invention will become apparent from the following drawings and specification.